The Keep of Houdan

TEMPORARILY CLOSED
The Keep of Houdan is a 12th century tower commissioned by the Counts of Montfort. This historic monument is also a cultural space and offers exhibitions, concerts, workshops, conferences throughout the year…

The Tower (commonly called "The Keep"), built in the 1889th century during the reign of the Counts of Montfort, and classified as a Historic Monument since XNUMX, had the function of watching out for enemies and defending the territory. But in reality, it mainly had a dissuasive role since it was deemed impregnable.

Built on the site of an ancient Merovingian necropolis, it originally consisted of an enclosure and a main tower. The enclosure, which has now disappeared, was equipped with a circular turret intended to defend the gate. The access door, located 4 meters from the ground then raised in the 6th century to 1 meters, was the only access to the large room on the XNUMXst floor reserved for the military leader. It was accessed via a drawbridge.

Sometimes associated with the Duchy of Brittany and sometimes with the crown of France, the Keep was given by Louis XIV, with the county of Montfort, to the Duke of Luynes. The latter sold it in 1800 to an innkeeper from Houdan, citizen Leroy. Successively owned by the Guillaume, Guignant, Davoust and Aulet families, the Keep was bequeathed by the latter to the town of Houdan in 1903.

It presents traces of its history through its numerous graffiti, some dating from the 1880th century. Used as a reserve, then as a prison and then a water tower, it underwent a certain number of changes in order to adapt to its new functions, leading in particular to the opening of a door on the ground floor. The water tower, whose first metal tank was installed in 50, was functional until the 1952s. In XNUMX, a new, more solid concrete tank was built. The tank is still present to this day, as well as part of the concrete uprights used to support it.

The Keep consists of a tower 15 m in diameter and 25 m high, flanked by 4 turrets of the same height located at the four cardinal points.

To find out more about the Dungeon today and the openings for visits, it's below:

Started at the beginning of 2012 and after many (and not always good) surprises, the restoration project of the Houdan dungeon has finally come to an end! This monument which dominates the medieval town is now ready to welcome visitors.

MONUMENTAL WORKS
Like any historical monument requiring renovation, the work on the keep was difficult and complicated due to the historical, architectural aspect and the planning constraints of the monument. No less than 3 and a half years of work were necessary to allow the site to regain a second youth and to be able to welcome the numerous visitors, curious to discover or rediscover this flagship monument of the Houdan landscape.

Built in the 12th century and successively as a watchtower, prison or even water tower, the keep gave the architects a hard time, whose challenge was to keep traces of this eventful history while allowing access to as many people as possible. And we can say that this challenge was met with flying colors!

A DUNGEON READY FOR THE VISIT!
From now on, young and old will be able to explore the dungeon from bottom to top!
For the opening, the ground floor will host part of the exhibition dedicated to the history of the dungeon and its rehabilitation. People with Reduced Mobility will have access to the ground floor using an elevator. If they cannot access the upper floors, they will be able to enjoy the 360° view from the terrace via a computer equipped with a joystick, connected to a camera located at the very top of the dungeon. Unfortunately, it was impossible to install an elevator in such a monument.

It is on the 1st floor that visitors will arrive who have taken the belfry, allowing them to enter the keep through the original door. This floor will host the rest and end of the exhibition. And the most addicted will be able to leave with one of the products from the souvenir shop! This floor is also connected to the ground floor by a majestic red staircase which stands out for its modernity.
One floor higher, the old water tower tank has been transformed into a projection room with a curved screen, on which films will be projected recounting the renovation of the dungeon or allowing you to discover the Houdanais Country seen from the sky (but let's not say too much!).

Finally, the terrace will reward the bravest who are not afraid to tackle the 250 or so steps by allowing them to enjoy the breathtaking 360° view of the Houdan countryside. It even seems that we can see Chartres Cathedral in good weather...

• Concert / Show
• Reception

The establishment provides you with:
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